Scottish community projects to tackle sectarianism get £1m boost

Community projects aimed at tackling sectarianism have been given more than £1 million of funding.

Rangers and Celtic have tried to eradicate sectarian singing over the years. Picture: Ian Rutherford/TSPL

A total of 20 schemes, including Sense over Sectarianism and Nil by Mouth, will share the Scottish Government cash.

Community safety minister Annabelle Ewing announced the support as the inaugural Kiss Bigotry Goodbye football competition for girls, hosted by Nil by Mouth, was launched in Lanarkshire.

She said: “The effort to eradicate sectarianism from Scottish life has been under way for a very long time yet too many people are still facing discrimination in our communities.

“These projects are approaching the issue in different ways to give us a varied and wide-reaching strategy to combat sectarianism as set out in the advisory group on tackling sectarianism in Scotland report.

“Today, a group of young women in Lanarkshire will become the most recent participants in the #kissbigotrygoodbye campaign as they play in a football tournament.

“In person and online, at school, play and in work - our partners are showing that sectarian attitudes and behaviour have no place in a modern Scotland.”

Nil By Mouth campaign director Dave Scott said: “Scotland is bigger, better and brighter than bigotry and this funding will help groups like Nil by Mouth continue to press home this message right across the country.”

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